Emotions are good. Politeness is bimodal. 'Informality is friendly' and 'informality is creepy' are the ground states. Jokes reframe wrongness as funnyness; the Rationalism movement looks, from the real outside, like a bunch of supremely edgy computer cultists.
This is why it was a really bad idea to frame knowledge of statistics as a conspiracy thing. If you think of your better judgement as a secret hat, then you will dedicate resources to keeping how smart you are a secret.
You are, presumably, a rational actor. But who are you, generically? What are the outer limits of your selfhood? Are you satisfied with them? Why or why not?
Discuss.
I am deeply irritated with "I can anonymously discourage this line of thinking" as a forum construct. If you have a problem with what I'm saying, say it to my face.
The EAF is using LessWrong 2.0 forum architecture, which shapes its' culture tremendously. In particular, there's a general expectation that good criticism has to be longwinded.
That said, this is a very helpful summary of what locals think is going on. Thank you!